Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated, escalating fears of all-out war in the Middle East

31 July 2024 , 07:56

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Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated, escalating fears of all-out war in the Middle East

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in Tehran, Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard said early Wednesday, accusing Israel of orchestrating the killing

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in a missile strike in Tehran, the terror group has said.

No group has claimed responsibility for the assassination yet, but fingers are being pointed at Israel, who has previously threatened to kill Haniyeh and other Hamas leaders following the October 7 attack on Israel that resulted in 1,200 deaths and around 250 hostages. 

Haniyeh was in Tehran to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian on Tuesday. Details surrounding Haniyeh’s death have not been disclosed by Iran, and Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard stated that the attack is currently under investigation.

Ismail Haniyeh, centre, walks through the streets of Gaza City’s Al-Shati refugee camp after attending the weekly Friday noon prayer, 16 June 2006 ( Image: AFP via Getty Images)

Analysts on Iranian state television were quick to accuse Israel of orchestrating the attack. Israel has not commented on the incident. 

The White House has not yet responded. The killing of Haniyeh comes at a time when tensions in the Middle East are escalating. Earlier this week, a rocket from Lebanon struck a football field in the Golan Heights on Saturday, killing 12 children and teenagers, according to Israeli authorities. Hezbollah has denied responsibility for the attack, which has raised fears of a potential escalation of fighting in the Middle East.

Elsewhere, the Biden administration is attempting to broker a temporary cease-fire and hostage-release deal between Hamas and Israel. 

CIA Director Bill Burns was in Rome on Sunday for discussions with senior officials from Israel, Qatar, and Egypt. In addition, Brett McGurk, the White House Coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa, is in the region for talks with US partners.

Israel is believed to have been orchestrating a long-term assassination campaign aimed at Iranian nuclear scientists and others linked to its nuclear programme. In 2020, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, a leading Iranian military nuclear scientist, was assassinated by a remote-controlled machine gun while travelling in a car on the outskirts of Tehran.

In the ongoing conflict with Hamas since the October attack, over 39,360 Palestinians have lost their lives and more than 90,900 have been injured, as per the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and fighters.

Elizabeth Baker